From my earlier involvment with the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) I know that many species are endangered or even no
longer existant. Animals in Eastern Congo even fled into neighbouring Uganda. For reasons such as their
destroyed environment due to the decrease of rainforest, war and excessive mining - all forced by humans. Their
commercial value (ivory, horn, fur), shooting for fun by armed forces and source of food (bushmeat) for armed
forces and the population that is suffering from hunger due to the civil war and mining. Many people who originally
cultivated fields were or still are exposed to fear, violence and deportation by armed forces and landmines,
so instead they went hunting animals.

Here below is an article by Arnaud Zajtman (published on BBC's web site on Sept 17 2004) about
the Virunga Nationalpark, one of five nationalparks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Despite the Democratic Republic of Congo's shaky peace, her five
World Heritage site national parks and their wildlife and unique ecosystems remain endangered.

Donors at a Unesco conference in Paris have just pledged $40m to protect DR Congo's natural heritage, but for conservationists
on the ground the parks remain a battle ground. In Virunga Park, rangers who try to protect the wildlife have become victims
of attacks by hundreds of roaming armed men who operate in the park's vast territory. "They poach the animals, they attack
the villagers who live in the park and they even target the rangers" says Deogratias Mbula, Virunga Park's director. Since
1996, out of 700 park rangers, 105 have been killed, Mr Mbula says.

Forbidden

Created in 1930, Virunga Park stretches 8,000 sq km along DR Congo's border with Rwanda and Uganda. At the time it was
Africa's only game park, where hunters were forbidden and tourists welcomed. But since 1994, tourists have been replaced by
refugees and militia. One million Rwandans, who have since left, sought refuge in the park, along with hundreds of Congolese
traditional warriors known as Mai-Mai and Rwandan Hutu militiamen blamed for the genocide in Rwanda. Rangers in the park say
the armed men now act under the authority of a Congolese warrior nicknamed Jackson.

Lost wildlife

Congolese conservationists say that out of more than 70,000 elephants before the war, only an estimated 14,000 remain.
Armed soldiers have decimated all the species which had an economic value," says conservationist Paulin Tshikaya. As a result,
most herds of elephants have either been killed or have fled to neighbouring countries. Only old lonely elephants have remained
behind and they represent an easy target for poachers. Mr Mbula blames militiamen and Congolese army soldiers for poaching
in the park. Hippos have also become rare. DR Congo wildlife specialist Jean-Pierre d'Huart says the hippo population in DR
Congo has dropped from 20,000 before the war to an estimated 1,300.

Under attack

Since 2000, the UN foundation has provided $3m to fund programmes to protect DR Congo's wildlife. As a result, 1,200 armed
guards have been employed to curb poaching in the five parks. But they have become targets as well. The most recent attack
in Virunga Park took place on 7 September in Kabaraza, a village in the centre of the park, some 83km from Goma. One guard
was killed, the other badly wounded. Ranger Seruhungo Mele said that about 400 well-armed attackers stormed the village in
the early hours. "They looted our HF radio and they took our weapons as well as all goods in our houses. They then disappeared,
but they could come back any time," he said.

'Real war'

The five endangered parks are located either near DR Congo's porous borders or near the former front-lines, which split
the country during years of war and massive destruction. Garamba Park, which is located near the border with Sudan, is similarly
affected by rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), who poach elephants with grenades and rocket-propeller guns.
"They have killed most of the elephants. It is a real war," said Kes Kilman-Smith, a former Unesco co-ordinator who spent
20 years in Garamba. Congo's Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) employs only 150 guards to protect this 5,000 sq-km
park.

Money spinner

So far the mountain gorillas are the only endemic species to have survived the war, thanks to trans-border cooperation
between rangers from Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. Annette Lanjouw, a primatologist with the International Gorilla Conservation
Programme, says that if peace prevailed in the region, the world's last 720 mountain gorillas could generate some $20m annually
in tourist revenue for the three countries. It is hoped the money pledged on Friday by donors including Unesco, the UN Foundation,
USA, Belgium and Italy will help Congolese conversation. But despite these financial efforts it is widely believed that only
a better commitment from local authorities and a final settlement of DR Congo's war, which according to humanitarian agencies
has already claimed an estimated three million human lives, will fully protect this world heritage.